Flashcube mounting means

ABSTRACT

A FLASHCUBE MOUNTING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING A FLASHCUBE IS SHOWN HAVING A SOCKET INTO WHICH THE FLASHCUBE IS INSERTED. A RESILIENTLY MOUNTED U-SHAPED LOCKING MEMBER YIELDS AS THE FLASHCUBE IS INSERTED BETWEEN THE HOOKED LEGS THEREOF FOR LOCKING THE FLASHCUBE AGAINST THE URGING OF AN EJECTION SPRING WITHIN THE SOCKET. DEPRESSION OF THE RESILIENTLY MOUNTED LOCKING MEMBER FREES THE FLASHCUBE FOR EJECTING IT FROM THE SOCKET.

1 Jam 26, 1971 MASAHIKO- IIWAKI ETAL 9 0 FLASHCUBE MOUNTING MEANS- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed Marph '19, 1969 A F I G.

FIG. 2

m A raz xamrliilk llllllllllllllllllllll 4 2 M 4 7 2 (I v 5 1 8r] 4 vi mm 3 lllllllllll lm lllli wmll w O 2 INVENTORS. MASAHIKO IWAKI HAZIME GAWA ATTORNEY Jan. 26, 1971 MASAHIKO lWAKl ETAL FLASHCUBE MOUNTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Marh 19, 1969 FIG. 3

FIG. 5

INVENTORS. MASAHIKO IWAKI HAZ I M I OGAWA ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,559,150 FLASHCUBE MOUNTING MEANS Masahiko Iwaki, Fujisawa-shi, and Hazime Kogawa,

Tokyo, Japan, assiguors to Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 808,431 Claims priority, application Japan, Apr. 15, 1968,

3/30,367 Int. Cl. G03b 9/70, 15/02; H01r 13/62 US. Cl. 339-45 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to flashcube mounting means and, more particularly, to an improved mounting means for detachably mounting a photographic flashcube comprising a cube-shaped unit having small flashbulbs therein.

A flashcube generally includes four flashbulbs which are individually ignited for producing a brief but intense flash of light at each quadrant of flashcube rotation. Prior art means for detachably mounting a flashcube within a mounting socket include leaf spring means or spiral spring means arranged to clamp the base of the flashcube therein. These prior art flashcube mounting means require additional equipment for ejecting a used flashcube from-the mounting socket and, therefore, havethe disadvantages of being large-sized, costly, complicated and difiicult to handle.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flashcube mounting means with a means for detachably mounting a flashcube without requiring the additional means normally necessary for ejecting a used flashcube therefrom.

Another object of the invention presented herein is to provide a flashcube mounting means with a socket arrangement capable of receiving a flashcube and locking that flashcube therein until all fiashbulbs, contained within the flashcube, have been fired; whereupon the flashcube is unlocked and automatically ejected from the socket.

A further object of this invention provides a flashcube mounting means which is compact, economical, simply constructed, and simple to operate.

In accomplishing these and other objects, there is provided a flashcube socket into which a flashcube having a depending cylindrical post with retaining lugs or projections extending laterally therefrom is inserted. Each projection is arranged with the lower face thereof formed as an inclined ramp. A flashcube locking member, in the form of a U-shaped element having ramped hooks upon the end of each of the legs, is adapted to be abutted against the corresponding ramps on the projection of the inserted flashcube. The flashcube locking member is reciprocatively arranged within the flashcube socket against a detent spring, while an ejecting spring is arranged to yield as the flashcube is inserted into the socket. As the flashcube is thrust into the socket against the ejecting spring, the ramps of the flashcube projections are forcibly pressed against the corresponding ramps on the hooks of the flashcube locking member for driving that member laterally against the detent spring. The flashcube locking ice member then returns to its initial position for engaging the hooks over the flashcube projections and restraining the flashcube against the dislodgement force exerted by the ejecting spring. Ejection is achieved by depressing the flashcube locking member against the detent spring thus freeing the projections on the flashcube from the hooks on the flashcube locking member and ejecting the flashcube from the socket under the urging of the ejecting spring.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, when. considered in combination with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1' is a vertical sectional view, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the flashcube mounting means according to the present invention having a fiashcub mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the present invention with the flashcube removed for convenience of explanation;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a flashcube socket assembly;

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view showing the flashcube mounting means in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the sequence of operations of the flashcube mounting means.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a rotary disc 1 having a driving shaft 1A afiixed through its longitudinal axis has supported thereon a flashcube socket 2 provided with a crossed slot adapted to receive therein a depending cylindrical post of a fiashcube. Arranged on the lower side of the rotary disc 1 is a spiral spring 3 in which a turning force may be accumulated through a clockwise rotation, shown by an arrow A in FIG. 2, of the flashcube after it has been mounted within the socket 2, as will be hereinafter explained. The rotary disc 1 is further provided with four lugs 4, 5, 6 and 7 which are evenly spaced about the periphery thereof at angles.

A control member 8, in the form of a panel, is provided with a dual-curved opening 9 for receiving the rotary disc 1 therein. The control member 8 is arranged to reciprocate relative to the rotary disc 1 against a pair of helical compression springs 10 mounted along a pair of traversely spaced rods 20. The rods extend in parallel with a line defined by the junction of the dual curves which form the opening 9. The dual-curved opening 9, formed in the control member 8, consists of a minor curved portion 13 of substantially semicircular configuration to receive the lugs of the rotary disc 1 in a face-toface contact sliding manner and of a major curved portion 14 of substantially semi-elliptical configuration to receive the lugs of the rotary disc 1 in a freely rotating manner. The minor and major curved portions, 13 and 14, are abruptly merged with each other through two shouldered or stepped portions 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 4. The shouldered or stepped portions 11 and 12 are formed on a line which parallels the rods 20 and includes two side faces of the diametrically opposed lugs for example lugs 4 and 6.

Fitted on the driving shaft 1A of the rotary disc 1 are an ejecting spring 15 and a washer 15A which extend into the crossed slot within the flashcube socket 2 mounted upon the rotary disc 1. A flashcube locking member 16 having a U-shaped configuration, when viewed from above, with legs of an L-shaped configuration, when viewed from the side, has hooks 17 provided upon the uppermost edges of the L-shaped legs. The hooks 17 include ramps inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the base of the U-shaped member. The flashcube locking its mounting socket 2.

member -16-is'-'s1idably -retained within'a relieved slot lo= cated in the base of the flashcube socket 2. A support ring 23, FIG. 4, is located between the flashcube socket 2 land the rotary disc 1 and is provided witha-tab portion 2 3A:-extending from the periphery thereof. A coiled compression springor detentspring 18 encircles a center arm 117A, located on the flashcube locking member 16, and the tab-123A thereby biasing the flashcube locking member 16 :o'utwardly :.FIG.' 5. i

Itwill be observed that the control member8 is pro fromthesocket 2, ortoward the right as in vided with downwardly extending tabs 8A, FIG. 1, through *which the rods 20 eXtend. These rods are mounted within a1housii1g 24 shown in FIG. 1 having top, bottom and .sidemembers. IngFIG. Zthe housing 24 is illustrated as having side members; while, in FIG. 4, the housing is illustrated .as having a. bottom-member 24 with upwardly extending sides 24A'an-d a top member 24B attachedthere- :.to, as by screws. In FIG. 4, the control member 8 is provided with tabs 8A which extend parallel to the main sur- .-.face-thereof and engage slots in the side walls 24A ofthe housing 24. The helical compression springs 10 wrap about the tabs 8A and urge the control member 8 toward :0116 side of 'the housing 24.

A flashcube 22 having a depending cylindrical post 19A with retaining lugs or projections 19 extending laterally .therefrom is inserted into the crossed slot within the flashcube socket 2. The ramped hooks 17 are engaged by 'the ramped projections 19 provided along opposite sides of the post 19A depending from the flashcube 22. The projections are arranged with their lowermost surfaces inclined upwardly for complementary engagement with the .ramped hooks 17.

As'the flashcube 22 is inserted into the crossed slot, the

ramped projections 19 engage the ramped hooks 17 for urging the flashcube locking member 16 to one side 9 against the resilient force of the detent spring 18. This may .best be'seen in FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b. FIG. 5a shows a pre-' :liminary stage wherein the flashcube 22, to be mounted within the flashcube mounting means, has not yet been inserted into the flashcube socket 2. In this arrangement, the ejection spring 15 and the detent spring 18 are in their normal condition. Thus, when the flashcube 22 is engaged into the socket 2, the ramped projections 19 are engaged against the ramped hooks 17 for urging the flashcube locking member 16 toward the left against the force of the detent spring 18, as shown in FIG. 5b. As the flashcube 22 is inserted further into the flashcube Esocket 2, as shown in FIG. 5c, the projections 19 pass be- '-lowthe. hooks 17 on the flashcube locking member 16 for allowing that-member to return to its initial position :under'the urging of the' detent spring 18. The hooks 17 thus'engage the upper surface of the projection 19 and lock the flashcube 22 into the'fiashcube socket 2.

I -When it is desired to eject the flashcube 22 from the "flashcube socket 2, a pushbutton 21 is provided in the sidewall of the housing 24; Depression of the pushbutton 21 urges the flashcube locking 'member 16 against the resilient force of the detent spring 18' for disengaging the lower portion of the hooks 17 from the flashcube projec- "tions19. The energy storedwithin the ejection spring 15 is then allowed to urge the washer 15A upwardly against the post of the flashcube 22 for ejecting the flashcube from "It will be understood that the inclined ramp angle, configuration, size, and'the like of projections 19 or the hooks 17 maybe modified to restrain the flashcube 22 more I tstrongl y within the flashcube socket 2. Further, the detent spring 18 may be modified to. more forceably draw the flashcubelocking member 16 into its locking position alongithe arrow 'illustrated in FIG. 50. It will be further :understood, that the inclined ramp angles of the projectionl 191 an d th e hooks" 17 and the action of the detent spring 18may be modified to add a downwardly directed force having a tendency to pull'the flashcube 22 further into the socket 2.

After the flashcube 22 h s been inserted and locked into the socket 2, the flashcube may be rotated in a clockwise direction against the urging of the spiral spring 3. A stop pin 25 is mounted on the rotary disc 1, as by riveting.

This stop extends downwardly and engages'a pair of stop limiting'tabs 26 which are folded up from-the base of the housing 24..The inner, end' of the helical spring 3 is attached to the lower. extension of the drive shaft 1A, while the outer end thereof attaches to a spring tab 27 which extends upwardly front-the base'of the housing 24. Thus,

-'-the'stop pin 25 and limiting tabs 26 serve to prevent the clockwise rotational motion of .the rotary disc 8 from exceeding an arc ofthe 2 70". After the flashcube has been wound against its limiting tab 26, a built in camera switch,

-not shown, applies a potential to a pair of contacts 28 located adjacent to the'flashcube socket 2. These contacts provide-electrical continuity toone ofthe four flashbulbs first flashbulb within the flashcube to produce a brief but located within theflashcube '22. i

The closure of the-switch ,within the camera ignites the intense flash of light. Thereafter, the second flashbulb within the flashcube may be brought into the desired position by depressing the bushbutton 21 against the resilient force of the helical springs 10. As best seen in FIG. 2, the depression of the pushbutton 21 moves the control member 8 for removing the step portion 11 of the'opening 9 from its shoulder contact against the lug 5. This allows the rotary disc 1 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction for moving the second flashbulb intoan operative position. As the rotary disc 1 rotates, the outermost edge of the lug 6 engages the minor curve 13 for stopping the rotary motion thereof. When the pushbutton 21 is released, the control member 8 returns to its initial position. This disengages the minor curved portion 13 of the opening 9 from-the outermost edge of the lug 6 and allows the rotary disc to continue to rotate until the side surface of the lug 4 contacts the stepped portion 11 of the opening 9. The second flashbulb within the flashcube 22 is now ready to be ignited.

After ignition of the second flashbulb within the flashcube 22, the third flashbulb is moved into its operating position and then the fourth in the manner described hereinabove. It will be noted that the clockwise rotation of the flashcube 22 also rotated the flashcube locking member 16 away from the pushbutton 21. Thus, each time the pushbutton 21 was depressed it had no effect on the flashcube locking member 16 and, therefore, made it impossible to unlock the flashcube 22 from the flashcube socket 2. As' the flashcube rotates into its fourth and final position, the flashcube locking member 16 is aligned with the pushbutton 21. After the last flashbulb is ignited, depression of the pushbutton'21 urges the flashcube locking member and the hooks 17 associated therewith away from the projections 19 for allowing the ejection spring and washer, 15 and 15A, to eject the flashcube 22.

It will be thus apparent from'the foregoing that the flashcube 22 may be securely mounted and locked within the socket 2. Rotation of the flashcube in the clockwise direction winds the spiral spring 13 and places the flashcube into a position where it is ready for the ignitionof the first flashbulb therein. It will be apparent that the flash cube may not be removed from the socket until the flashcube has been placed in allfour positions necessary to ignite all four flashbulbs. This arrangement prevents an a reference to a particular embodiment, it will be understood that to those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of a variety of alternative embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A flashcube mounting means for rotatably retaining a flashcube therein having a depending cylindrical post with projections extending laterally therefrom and the lowermost faces thereof formed as inclined ramps, comprising:

socket means for receiving said flashcube,

ejection means for urging said flashcube from said socket means;

flashcube locking means slidably mounted within said socket means having hooked leg portions with the uppermost faces thereof formed as inclined ramps for slidably engaging said ramped projections of said flashcube;

urging means attached to said flash cube locking means arranged to yield as said flashcube is received within said socket means and arranged to hold said locking means in locked arranged against the urging of said ejection means after said flashcube is fully received within said socket means; and

means associated with said flashcube locking means for slidably moving said locking member and disengaging said hooks from said projections to allow said ejection means to eject said flashcube from said flashcube mounting means.

2. A flashcube mounting means for rotatably retaining at evenly spaced quadrants a flashcube having a depending cylindrical post with projections extending laterally therefrom and the lowermost faces thereof formed as inclined ramps, comprising:

housing means having an opening therein;

socket means rotatably mounted within said opening of said housing means having an opening therein for receiving said depending cylindrical post of said flashcube;

ejection means for urging said flashcube from said socket means;

locking means slidably mounted to rotate with said rotatable socket means having hooked leg portions with the uppermost faces thereof formed as inclined ramps for slidably engaging said ramped projections of said flashcube;

urging means attached to said locking means arranged to yield as said ramped inclined projections upon said flashcube contact said ramped hooks of said locking means and arranged to urge said locking means over said ramped inclined projections of said flashcube thereby locking said flashcube against said ejection means after said flashcube is received within said socket means;

spring means against which said rotatable socket means is resiliently rotated from a first position, wherein said socket means received said flashcube, through said evenly spaced quadrants;

control means slidably mounted within said housing means to prevent said spring means from rotating said socket means toward said first position; and depression means engaging said control means to free said socket means therefrom and to allow said socket means to rotate, upon depression of said means, toward said first position and to engage said locking means for ejecting said flashcube after said socket has rotated to said first position. 3. A flashcube mounting means for rotatably retaining a flashcube as claimed in claim 2, additionally comprising:

said control means including a control panel having an opening therein including at least one shoulder formed therein; said socket means including a lower member arranged within said control panel opening having lug portions extending laterally therefrom for engaging said shoulder formed within said opening; second spring means for normally urging said control panel against said lower member of said socket means to prevent rotation of said socket member by engaging said shoulder formed within said opening against a lug of said socket; wherein depression of said depression means slidably moves said control panel and trees said lug from said shoulder for allowing said socket means to rotate under the urging of said first mentioned spring means. 4. A flashcube mounting means for rotatably retaining a flashcube as claimed in claim 2, additionally comprising:

said locking means being U-shaped with said hooked leg portions formed thereby having a ramped upper face extending at an incline toward the base of said U-shaped locking means; said locking means arranged to rotate with said socket means from said first position out of said engagement with said depression means; wherein successive depression of said depression means rotates said socket means and said locking means through evenly spaced quadrants to said first position where said depression means engages said locking means for ejection of said flashcube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,491,667 1/1970 Land 240l.3X 3,417,363 12/1968 Terazaki 339-T 3,369,468 2/1968 Sapp, Jr., et a1 11.5 3,353,468 11/1967 Beach 240l.3X 3,319,548 5/1967 Kottler 339147UX MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner T. P. LEWIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

